Internal-combustion engine.



WIF; THOMASx INTERNAL COMBUSTlON ENGINE.

APPLlCATlON HLED mac. 12, 1911.

112915321 latented 001. 17,1916

4 SHEETS-SHEET I.

W. F. THQMAS. BNTERNAL nomausnow ENGINE.

APPLICATION min DEC. :2. 1911.

Patented 0st. 17, 1916,

SHEETS--SHEET 2- wms w. F. THOMAS.

INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE. APPLKCATION FHLED DEC. l 2, 19H.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

1,201,532. v1mm ()ct.17,1916.

W. F. THOMAS. mrmm comsusnom Enema, APPLICATION FILED DEC. 12. 191! Patented Oct. 17,1916.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

Wnmnnhnnnnnxcn THOMAS, or s r. HELENS, Is E'on Wrens, Enchant.

inrnnnan-coneusrxon Enema.

To aZZ whomz'zi may concern to admit air above the piston.

Be it known. that I, EVALTERI Fnnonniox' THOMAS, residing at Alma Cottage, St. Helbustion Engines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact 1 description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the "art to which it 'appertains to make and use the Same.

My lIlVQIltlOn relates to improvements in internal combustionengines, particularly to that class of engines, in which the cylinder has a reduced extension and a stepped piston slidab'ly mounted therein.

It is the object of the invention, to provide a stepped piston which is adapted to be used for the purpose of starting and reversing, or as an air compressor for supplying the view, the cylinder is provided with ports to admit air into the reduced portion of. the

cylinder and below the piston, while the piston has ports'formed therein which serve The way and manner .in which these several features are effected will .be readily understood by means of the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which 2-,

Figure 1 shows a part sectional eleva tion of a three cylinder engine fitted with my im rovements. Fig. 2 shows a section taken t rough one of the cylinders to larger scale. Figs. 8, 4, and 5, show to enlarged scale detail view of the fuel sprayer with air supply and fuel pumps.

When the crank shaft (0,) see Fig. 2, re-

volves in either direction the up or in stroke of the piston (b) in the cylinder (0) causes a partial vacuum to be formed in the crank chamber (d) the atmospheric pressure then causes the spring loaded piston valve. (0) toopen and let in a quantity of air; the followingdown or out stroke of the piston (Z2) compresses the contained air to a slight pressure above the atmospheric, closing the pieton valve (6) tight against the seat (f). On the piston reaching the bottom of its down stroke the ports (g) in the extended piston (h) correspond with similar ports in the sleeve (la) thereby letting .the slightly compressed air into the working cylinder (0).

It will be noticed that. the under side of the piston (71) is of greater area than the top Specification of Letters Patent.

" the combustion chamber.

stroke of the piston .(b)-the valve (6) is I a Patented Qct. 1'7, 1916.- Application filed December 12, 191 Serial no 635,316.

piston (72.). Therefore a greater quantity of air is drawn into the crank chamber. ens, Isleof Wight, Hampshire, England," Great Britain, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Internal-Comtity of air rushes out to the atmosphere through the exhaust ports (Z) which are also 7 opened when the piston (b). is nearing the bottom ofits stroke,.that is, just before the, 'Y air ports (g) correspond with. the ports (2'). The return or upstroke of the piston first closes the air ports (g) and also the ex-. haust ports (Z) and then compresses thecon l tained air to several atmospheres pressure in the upperpart of the working 'cyIind'er (c). f

This angular space (0') above the piston is opened to let air intothe crank chamber (d) as before stated. This movement is commu- During this up nice-ted through the rod (m) to open the needle valve (2) in the fuel sprayer (n). t'o be hereinafter described. The fuel is thus fo rced a fine cloud spray into the air contamed in the working cylinder (0) during the compression'or up stroke of the piston (b), or any part of compressionv stroke by mechanical means.' When the piston has reached the top of its stroke the air is comwith a required quantity of sprayed and as pressed to its highest pressure, and is mixed vaporized fuel, which maybe petroLparaifin, or any other liquid or gaseous hydrocarbon;

at this moment the combustible mixture is ignited by an electric spark in the well known manner as at (n), or by a hot tube or hot ball.

tor.

This so far describes a specialfl: form of two cycle internal combustionmo- The fuel sprayer Figs. 4 and 5 referred I to as in Fig. 2, consists of a body-(Z),

a needle valve (2), which can be opened against the pressure of a spring (3) atthe correct time by the earn (4). This cam is actuated by lever (5) and connecting rod (m) from the motion of the crank chamber air valve (e) see Fig. 2. Compressedziair is loo supplied from a suitable reservoir (notshown) through a pipe (6) to the chamber' .(7) and fuel under pressure through'pipes (10) and (11) tothe channels (8) and (9) lated by screw needle valves (not shown). These two cha-nnels (8) and (9) are shown to supply two kinds of fuel, if necessary, one light and easily vaporized for starting and see Fig. 5, the quantity of fuel being regu heating up the combustion chamber, and the other heavier and cheaper for continuous working. The fuel may be forced either by compressed air on the surface of the liquid in the containing tanks, or by means of pumps, and said pumps may be of the reciprocating plunger type, or a flattened bent tube similar to those used in pressure gages, the bend being opened and closed by suitable mechanism, or a diaphragm ended cylinder (12) as shown in the drawings. Whichever ty of pump is employed, double suction ano delivery Valves are required. A section of such a pump is shown in Fig. 3. The cylinder (12) has one end closed by a dia-' phragm (13) which is kept out by a spring (14). his cylinder is connected by a pipe containing two ball valves (15) to the fuel storage tank, and also by a pipe contammg two ball valves to the channels (8) or (9) in the body of fuel sprayer. The diaphragm is moved against the spring (14) by an eX- tension of the lever causing a delivery of the fuel into the channels (8) or (9) and on the spring (14) returning the diaphragm (13) suction of fuel from the tank is caused to refill the pump cylinder. The amount of movement given to the diaphragm can be 'regulated by the setscrew (16) in the eX- tended portion of the lever It will be seen that the fuel andcompressed air come together at the point of the needle valve (2) and when same is opened the two enter the working cylinder at high. velocity breaking up against tie sharp edge of the special steel nozzle (2 The relation between the air in the combustion chamber and fuel is adjusted by moving the bottom of rod (m) in the curved slot on lever (L).

It will be observed that the motor can be made to revolve in either direction, that is, right hand or left hand again it anay be started in either direction, or while running in one direction can be reversed to run in the other direction at the Will of the driver, by a movement of the hand lever (H) through mechanism as follows:T he extended piston (h) reciprocates in the air cylinder Compressed air from a reservoir is supplied through pipe (p) and valve (7") which is lifted at the proper time by a cam (1 on the revolving shaft (S). The air presses upon the top of piston (h) causing it to move and set in motion the 'crank shaft through the connecting rod (t). When the piston reaches the end of its stroke the supply valve is closed and exhaust valve is opened by another cam (20) allowing the air to escape to the atmosphere, while the momentum of the fly Wheel (R) causes the piston to return, or in the case-of a multicylindered motor, the other cylinders are on working strokes. It will be seen that if the crank is over the top center, one side or other, the compressed air causes the shatt to revolve either right hand or left. The shaft (S) to which is fixed a number or cams (7") (u) is made to rotate through suitable gearing in time with the main crank shaft (a) and so by levers and (Z) move the air supply and exhaust valves 2) and (u) at the required time. By hinging the levers (X) and (Z) on a sliding shaft (10.) and i this made to slide to and fro by hand lever center to make the crank shaft revolve in a I right hand direction; the motor is now working on compressed air, the wor Zing air supply valve (6) to crank chamber and fuel sprayer being kept closed by locking bar When the hand lever is moved to notch (3) the locking bar (Z is moved and the working air valve (6) and fuel sprayer are free to operate, and the motor runs on fuel and compressed air together. The hand lever is then moved to notch (4i), the compressed air supply is cut of? by the valve (1") being kept on its seat, and the valve (it) kept oil its seat to allow the cylinder (0) to be freely open. to the atmosphere. lthe hand lever is again moved to notch the cylinder (0) with its piston becomes an air compressor; the exhaust valve (a) being the air suction valve and the air sup ply valve (1') being the delivery valve to the reservoirs, the pipe becoming the air delivery pipe. The compressed air used for s arting can thus be made up again to the required pressure. Again if the hand lever (H) be moved the opposite direction iroi i the middle notch (1) to the notches (2) r! 7 (3 (4t and the motor revolves in a leitt hand direction and alr can be compressed 1n the reservoirs if required when going astern. Arrangement is also made by extending the hand lever (ii) to automatically open compression relief cocks on each combustion chamber when hand lever is in mid positions (1), or on the quad rant to facilitate the starting ahead or astern, or reversing while in motion. This system of starting and reversing can be used for four cycle engines as well astwo cycle as described. When :ignition of the combustible mixture in working cylinder is ei? fected by an electric spark, it is necessary that the spark should be timed to take place just before the compression stroke finishes, whether the motor be revolving in the right hand or left hand direction, and when When - magneto machine is used to generate the vI claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is In an internal combustion engine, the combination with a cylinder having a reduced extension at its head end, of a unitary stepped piston slidably mounted therein, said cylinder provided with ports to admit air into the, reduced portion of said cylinder and also below said piston, said stepped piston having ports formed therein serving to admit air above said main piston,

. a fuel inlet for said main piston, and means co-acting with said air inlet below, said piston to open said fuel inlet when said air inlet is actuated, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

Witnesses;

RICHARD COBDEN Rooms, Gno. J. B. FRANKLIN,

WALTER FREDERICK THOMAS- v 

